Section of the Grizzly Giant, 101 feet circumference 1865 - 1866

Carleton Watkins made this albumen print of the Grizzly Giant sequoia in Yosemite, California, sometime in the 1860s or 70s. At the time this photo was taken, the concept of preserving land for its own sake was not yet well established. Watkins's image shows a man standing at the base of the giant tree, emphasizing its monumental scale but also subtly suggesting human dominion over nature. Such photographs played a crucial role in the cultural and political discourse surrounding the American West. Watkins's images, along with those of other photographers, were used to promote the idea of the West as a land of both immense resources and sublime beauty, influencing public opinion and, ultimately, governmental policies, such as the establishment of Yosemite as a national park in 1890. By looking at Watkins's photograph in the context of his career and of the institutional history of environmentalism, we can better understand the complex interplay between art, commerce, and conservation in the shaping of the American landscape.